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  1. Class 11
  2. Literature
  3. Hornbill
  4. The Portrait of a Lady

The Portrait of a Lady - Hornbill - Class 11 - CBSE English

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  • Line-by-line explanation in Hindi
  • Quiz
  • Vocabulary - Flashcards
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  • About the Author
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  • Summary
  • Extra Questions
  • Themes
  • Important Lines
  • Character Sketches
  • Symbols
  • Plot
  • Vocabulary

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The Portrait of a Lady - Line by line explanation in Hindi | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

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Quiz - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

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Vocabulary - Flashcards - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

mantelpiece
a structure of wood, marble, or other material above and around a fireplace

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About the Author - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

Khushwant Singh (1915-2014) was an Indian novelist , journalist, and historian , widely regarded as one of India's most [prominent ] writers of the 20th century. He was born in Hadali, Punjab (now in Pakistan) and later moved to Delhi where he studied law at St. Stephen's College . He worked as a lawyer, journalist, and editor before turning to full-time writing. Singh was the editor of two [prominent ] Indian newspapers, The Illustrated Weekly of India and The Hindustan Times. He wrote numerous novels, short stories, and non-fiction books, many of which dealt with themes of Indian history, politics, and social issues. Some of his famous works include Train to Pakistan, Delhi: A Novel, and The Company of Women. Singh was awarded the Padma Bhushan , India's third-highest civilian award, in 1974, and the Padma Vibhushan , the second-highest civilian award, in 2007.

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Which two Indian newspapers did Khushwant Singh serve as the editor of during his career?

Back Questions - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

The three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad. 

The three phases of the author's relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad can be described as follows:
 In the initial phase, the author and his grandmother shared a close bond, living together in the village. She would wake him up, prepare him for school, and accompany him to the temple school. They were good friends, and their daily routines revolved around each other, with the grandmother being an integral part of the author's life.

The turning point in their relationship came when the author and his grandmother moved to the city to live with his parents. The dynamics of their relationship changed as the author began attending an English school, which the grandmother could not accompany him to. The city life and the new educational environment created a gap between them, as the grandmother could no longer relate to or help the author with his studies. However, they still shared a room and cared for each other.

As the years passed, the author and his grandmother saw less of each other. The author went to the university and had his own room, further severing their once-close bond. The grandmother spent most of her time spinning and praying, becoming more secluded and resigned to her situation. Despite their growing distance, they still had a deep underlying affection.

These three phases depict the evolution of the author's relationship with his grandmother.

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Three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school. 

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Three ways in which the author’s grandmother spent her days after he grew up. 

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The odd way in which the author’s grandmother behaved just before she died.

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The way in which sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author’s grandmother died. 

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 The author’s grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which we come to know this? 

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Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their feelings for each other change? 

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Would you agree that the author’s grandmother was a person strong in character? If yes, give instances that show this.

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Have you known someone like the author’s grandmother? Do you feel the same sense of loss with regard to someone whom you have loved and lost? 

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Summary - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

Video - Summary in Hindi

"The Portrait of a Lady" by Khushwant Singh is a touching and insightful [memoir ] of the author's grandmother, whom he remembers with deep love and respect. The chapter describes....

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Extra Questions - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

Why was it hard for the author to believe that his grandmother was once young and pretty?

It was hard for the author to conceive that his grandmother had ever been young and pretty since he had been looking at her since childhood and had always seen her wrinkled. He was too young to visualize her ever being young.

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The grandmother had a divine beauty. How does the author bring this out?

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How did the grandmother prepare the author for going to school when they were staying in the village?

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Write a character sketch of the author's grandmother by using following words: affectionate, caring, kind and benevolent, religious, a strong woman

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Grandmother was a caring lady. She loved animals and birds and took care of the street dogs and the sparrows. Based on your reading of the story, write a paragraph on the topic: 'The need to care for Birds and Animals'.

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Themes - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

  1. The Passage of Time and Aging
    • Grandmother's constant old age
    • Change in relationship dynamics over time
    • Grandmother's acceptance of her impending death
  2. Tradition versus Modernity
    • Grandmother's traditional beliefs and practices
    • Narrator's education in an English school
    • conflict between traditional and modern values
  3. The Bond between Grandparents and Grandchildren
    • Early companionship between the narrator
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Important Lines - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

"She had always been short and fat and slightly bent. Her face was a criss-cross of wrinkles running from everywhere to everywhere."

This line is important because it provides a vivid description of the grandmother's appearance, emphasizing her old age and the physical signs of aging. It highlights the narrator's perception of his grandmother as always having been old.

"She was like the winter landscape in the mountains, an expanse of pure white serenity breathing peace and contentment."

This metaphor is significant because it captures the essence of the grandmother's character. It conveys her calm, peaceful, and contented nature, likening her to a serene, beautiful winter landscape.

"As the years rolled by we saw less of each other."

This line is crucial as it signifies the gradual distancing between the narrator and his grandmother due to the ...

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Character Sketches - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

Grandmother

The grandmother is depicted as a deeply religious, traditional, and loving woman. She is portrayed as being old and wrinkled for as long as the narrator can remember. She is short, fat, and slightly bent, with a face full of wrinkles. She always wears spotless white clothes and is constantly praying with her rosary beads. Despite her physical appearance, the narrator sees her as beautiful, comparing her to a serene , peaceful winter landscape. She shares a close bond with the narrator, taking care of him and accompanying him to school when he was younger. As the narrator grows older and attends an English school, the grandmother disapproves of the modern education, distancing herself from him. She spends most of her time spinning and praying, only taking breaks to feed the sparrows in ...

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Symbols - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

📿 Grandmother's rosary beads

The rosary beads symbolize the grandmother's strong faith and devotion to her religion. They also represent a source of comfort and stability in her life. The beads are mentioned several times throughout the passage, emphasizing their importance to her. When she passes away, the rosary beads fall from her lifeless fingers, signifying the end of her life and her spiritual journey.

🎡 Spinning wheel

The spinning wheel is another symbol of the grandmother's devotion and her traditional way of living. She spends her days spinning and praying, which reflects her simple, spiritual lifestyle. The spinning wheel also symbolizes the passage of time and the continuity of life, as she continues to spin until her final days.

🫓 Stale chapattis

The stale chapattis symbolize the grandmother's kindness and compassion towards others, including animals. She feeds the village dogs and later the sparrows with the ...

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What do the rosary beads symbolize in the passage?

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Plot - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

Introduction and Early Years:

The narrator introduces his grandmother as a constant, an old lady who he claims has been old for as long as he's known her. He shares anecdotes of their time together when he was a child, with the grandmother taking him to school, feeding the...

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Vocabulary - The Portrait of a Lady | Hornbill | Class 11 Literature | CBSE English

  1. mantelpiece
    • Meaning: a structure of wood, marble, or other material above and around a fireplace
    • Sentence: The antique clock on the mantelpiece chimed every hour, reminding me of the passage of time.
  2. undignified
    • Meaning: appearing foolish, lacking in dignity or respect
    • Sentence: His behavior at the party was undignified , which caused many guests to feel uncomfortable.
  3. puckered
    • Meaning: tightly gathered or contracted into wrinkles or small folds
    • Sentence: When she tasted the lemon, her lips puckered and her eyes squinted.
  4. inaudible
    • Meaning: unable to be ...

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